Shades of Gray

Orphaned when the Yankees killed his family, Will has to live with an uncle who refused to join the Confederate Army. Will's attitude slowly changes from scorn to admiration as he watches the philosophy of nonviolence in action. Ages 10-13. 1989, 165 pp., paper.

Synopsis
At the end of the Civil War, twelve-year-old Will, having lost all his immediate family, reluctantly leaves his city home to live in the Virginia countryside with his aunt and the uncle he considers a "traitor" because he refused to take part in the war. "Grades five to seven." (Bull Cent Child Books)

Annotation
At the end of the Civil War, twelve-year-old Will, having lost all his immediate family, reluctantly leaves his city home to live in the Virginia countryside with his aunt and the uncle he considers a "traitor" because he refused to take part in the war.

From the Publisher
The Civil War may be over, but for 12-year-old Will Page, the pain will neverend. And now Will has to go live with his Uncle Jed, who refused to fight forthe Confederate cause.

From the Critics
From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly  
Orphaned by the Civil War, 12-year-old Ben learns some unexpected truths from his Uncle Jed, a ``coward'' who refused to fight in the war; PW said, ``thoughtfully told, the novel captures the hardships that followed the last war fought on U.S. soil.'' Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
 
From Kathleen Karr - Children's Literature  
Reeder's ALA Notable tale takes on the Civil War after the fact, and on the side of the Confederacy. It's a narration of the trials and tribulations of young Will Page, orphaned rebel extraordinaire. After losing his Virginia family, Will is taken from the city of Winchester to live with his aunt and uncle in the country. He doesn't mind the unexpectedly hard labor around the farm, and he rather likes his younger cousin, Meg. What he can't accept is what he sees as cowardice in his Uncle Jed, who refused to fight for the South. Will has a lot to work out, and a huge chip to get off his shoulder, but finally learns the difference between cowardice and choosing to live by one's beliefs. This is a book that should elicit strong and useful debate in the American History curriculum.
 
From Zena Sutherland - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books  
In an excellent first novel, Reeder develops, believably, a change in Will's attitude as he comes to realize that neutrality is not treason and that it has taken enormous courage for Uncle Jed to stand firm in his pacific conviction. Minor plot threads (Will's adjustment to rural life, his relationships with the local boys and his affection for his cousin Meg) provide changes of tone and tempo in a novel that has, despite an uneven pace, both momentum and nuance.